Tour Regional & India

Accessibility: Entry into Bhutan can be made by air or land. Druk Air Bhutan National Airline operates regular flights from/to Calcutta, Delhi, Kathmandu and Bangkok. By surface one can enter Bhutan through Southern border towns. Phuntsholing, Gelephu and Samdrup Jongkhar are all located along the southern part of the country bordering India and are the only overland border entries open to international tourist.

The town of Phuntsholing is located approximately 170 km east of the Indian national airport Bagdogra. After crossing Phuntsholing, your will begin a mountainous climb through hair-pin bends until you enter Thimphu, the capital city. The 176 km journey usually takes around 6 hours. Gelephu in South-Central Bhutan is another entry point to Bhutan. It is approximately 250KMs from Thimphu. The journey will take you through lush sub-tropical jungles and pristine alpine forests before finally bringing you into Thimphu. You will traverse across three districts with a travel time of approximately ten hours.Samdrup Jongkhar is the only entry point in eastern Bhutan. The town borders the Indian district of Darranga, Assam and is approximately 150KMs from Guwahati, the capital city of Assam. The journey from Guwahati is about three hours. Tourists entering Bhutan through Samdrup Jongkhar will have to travel through Trashigang, the largest district in the country, and from there east through Mongar, Bumthang, Trongsa and Wangde Phodrang to reach the capital city, Thimphu. The distance is about 700KMs. If you wish, there is also domestic flight services between Paro- Youngphula and Paro-Bumthang.

Entry permit: Indian National travelling to Bhutan doesn’t require Visa. As a travelling identity document they are to produce either voter card or passport to process Entry Permit with couple of passport size photograph. However, Indian National travelling between Nepal and Bhutan requires valid passport by Nepal immigration regulation.

Route Permit: It is mandatory that you have a travel permit if one travels beyond Dochula, which is considered as restricted areas. Route permit are processed and issued in Thimphu only after your arrival in Bhutan and production of the Entry Permit. Applications are accepted from 9AM-11AM and the permit are granted on the same day from 3-5PM in summer and 3-4PM in winter. Working days Monday to Friday.

Clothing: As Bhutan Stretch from southern plains to northern high Himalayas. Bhutan has a varied weather throughout the year. In between May-September, its bit of humid and experiences certain level of rainfall. So cotton clothes along with light jacket are recommendable. In the months of winter November- April, its cold and freezing in most part of Bhutan with some consideration in southern Bhutan. Warm clothes and shoes are recommended. No boots are required unless you are trekking.

Food: Bhutanese food are rich with spicy chilies but are normally moderated to the taste of the guests. All hotels and lodges offer delicious Indian, Chinese, Continental and Bhutanese Cuisine. A mixture of vegetarian and non-vegetarian on buffet style are served in most of the hotels. Pure vegetarian can also be availed on request and prior information.

Currency: Ngultrum (Nu.) is Bhutanese Currency is pegged at par with Indian Rupee. Credit, Visa, Maestro and Debit cards are available in most towns and places. However, it’s cautioned not to carry 500 and 1000 Rupee denominations along you.

Language: Official Language of Bhutan is Dzongkha. English been the educational medium language it is widely spoken. Majority of Bhutanese understand and speaks Hindi.

Time: Bhutan is half an hour ahead of India Standard Time and quarter an hour of Nepal.

Telecommunication: +975 is Bhutan Country Code. Telecommunication in Bhutan has improved in this recent years, much better facilitated. Third generation (3G) network has covered most of the towns and additional 4G has been launched in capital Thimphu.

Photography: you can photograph almost everything everywhere in Bhutan. But be reminded that not all monasteries, Dzongs, Temples allow photographs. Check with your guide if you have one.